<span style="color: #222222;">The United States (US) has asserted that the Millennium Challenge Corporation's 480 million US dollar aid to Sri Lanka was a gift from the people of the US and not a loan. <br />''<br />''US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz in a letter to President Maithripala Sirisena has said that the agreement is transparent and is designed to foster the prosperity, the President seeks to deliver to the people of Sri Lanka. <br />''</span><br />''The ambassador noted that the agreement has a five-year term and will not establish any permanent institution or agency. <br />''<br />''Her comments came as there is widespread opposition from a section of the government and opposition over the deal. The development agreement consists of projects focused transportation and land management. <br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">However, opposition parties have alleged that the government under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is conspiring to lease overland to foreign parties which has been denied by the government. President Sirisena has said that he is opposed to such deals while terms of the deal are still under discussion. </span><br />